JUST STUMBLED ON THIS POST WHILE LOOKING FOR OWB. I NEED SOME ADVISE. IM GOING TO SPEND AT LEAST 3500 IN PROPANE AND 2000 IN POWER THIS YEAR. I HAVE TO SUPLAMENT. OR SELL. WE LOVE THE FARM BUT I CANT PAY THIS MUCH AND LIVE. HERE. IT LOOKS LIKE IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE. I WAS LOOKING AT OWD BUT AM INTERESTED IN THE COSY HEAT. I WOULD HAVE TO BUILD A BUILDING FOR IT. ALSO CAN IT BE RETRO FITTED IN A FORCED AIR SYSTEM. ANR DO YOU HAVE TO USE STORAGE. REALLY COULD USE SOME HELP THANK YOU IN ADVANCE . STK IN NOTHERN MI.
PROPANE POOR
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windyhill said:
Welcome to the Boiler Room.
What you propose is quite feasible and there are several people here who have done just that. I expect they'll chime in. Some searches might also turn up good threads.
By the way, caps imply SHOUTING.
I had a similar problem 3 grand for propane on one building soon to be heating a second and went the wood boiler route. Have not spent a dime on propane for 5 months and my electric went up about $50 a month for the circ. pumps for the 2 buildings. Now I can put the money not spent for propane towards the increase of town,state and my federal TAXES
I have an wood doctor converter(old style). Wanted the boiler outside, had an indoor wood system in the 80s and wanted the mess and smoke outside. Very pleased with the performance
There is a company in Michigan that makes OWB. I have one myself and i don't have anything bad to say about it. you may want to look at www.hawkenenergy.com
Medman
Feeling the Heat
Where in Northern MI are you?
Dave at Cozy Heat is in Indian River. You can see some of the boilers set up there, and he is very helpful. Indian River is only about a half hour below the Mac bridge. See their website by clicking on one of the links here on the forum.
I have the EKO 25, and I am in Sault, Ontario. Let me know if you need more info.
Dave at Cozy Heat is in Indian River. You can see some of the boilers set up there, and he is very helpful. Indian River is only about a half hour below the Mac bridge. See their website by clicking on one of the links here on the forum.
I have the EKO 25, and I am in Sault, Ontario. Let me know if you need more info.
I was in the same situation as you paying over $3000 in propane. I just installed a Central Boiler 6048 and I couldn't be happier. I heat 2200 sf and DHW and I am getting 24 hour burns since I put it on line dec 29th. I live in northern michigan also and it has been cold here. Since I have fired it up I have used no propane except for my cook stove and dryer. Here is a link on my install if you are interested. http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=84018
Good Luck on your decision.
Good Luck on your decision.
Thanks for the reply I am in Posen MI about 65 miles from Indian river. Do you have water storage?. How long of a burn. Ilike the idea of smaller wood and burning less of it. thanks Steve k in Posen
mwk1000
Member
There is a thread in this forum that might interest you where I and others have shared your pain. There is also some good $$ information for you to look at. I am downstate in Howell and I purchase my equipment from Cozy and drove up to pick it all up.
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/32890/
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/32890/
Medman
Feeling the Heat
Windyhill - I don't have storage in yet, but I have the tanks. That will be my spring project. As for burn time, it depends. With well seasoned red oak, placed on a bed of coals in boiler, with no wind, I get 8-10 hours. Lately I have been burning sugar maple and it has been cold and windy, so I am loading about every six hours, burning 18 hours/day. I idle a lot because I have no storage, so I am wasting some wood.
Thanks again for the reply. It is a small world. I have family in howell. Some on Booth ,off 59 and some on Mystic Drive by the intresection of 23 and 59. Been in Howell many times. Sure is growing. I checked uot the thread you suggested some real experience there. I dont have a building to put the EKO in . but it could be done. I did see the Greenwood OWD. Any thoughts on them. My pay back would be 2 years. or so. I have 120 acers of wood on the family farm. The family said they dont care if I use it. There is plenty of it dead wood down already.. And I have equipment to get it out. So many choices and variables. I will appreicate any and all help. I will have somethig in by next heating season. That is a no brainer. I will need 2 more propane fills this year. 750.00 plus each time. ugh.
Thanks again so much Steve K. Posen MI. Potato Capitol of The U.S.
Thanks again so much Steve K. Posen MI. Potato Capitol of The U.S.
[quote author="windyhill" date="1233127142 I dont have a building to put the EKO in . but it could be done. .[/quote]
a 20ft shipping container will make a great boiler room. cheap, fireproof, moveable, and can be sided to make it look nice. You'll have room for storage and put some wood. just a thought.
leaddog
a 20ft shipping container will make a great boiler room. cheap, fireproof, moveable, and can be sided to make it look nice. You'll have room for storage and put some wood. just a thought.
leaddog
windyhill said:
there's a learning curve, but it is not rocket science.
the time involved in learning how to run a gasification boiler is tiny compared to the time you'd spend for years to come cutting/ handling extra wood that will be consumed by a non-gasification boiler.
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